


When an Angel Falls... He also Rise

by Sinvulkt (Wakare)



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: All Jedis grow wings at some point, Alternate Universe - Wings, And their wings turns black when they go dark, Angst, Battle of Mustafar (Star Wars), But only Jedis, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, It doesn’t change Anakin’s fate though, Movie: Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, POV Anakin Skywalker, Title is a quote from Lucifer (TV Show), Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:00:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27601781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wakare/pseuds/Sinvulkt
Summary: ‘‘ He saw the man who had been his Master pick up his lightsaber and walk away, leaving his fate to the unforgiving Fire.The Man stopped, and looked back at Anakin. High above, wings clean and Light, with the judging eyes of a God.Anakin - No, he wasn’t really Anakin anymore, was he ? ... ’’
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	When an Angel Falls... He also Rise

Anakin saw a shadow, and, raising his head, recognized Padme’s ship. What was she doing here !? She was supposed to stay safe on Coruscant ! He should still have got some time until the dream came true, and he was sure Palpatine would tell him how to save her once he got back. But even then, he couldn’t have Padme’s endangering herself and their child. He would have to make sure she understood that.

Absently, a part of him registered that she probably wouldn’t like him ordering her around. But then again, she probably wouldn’t like what he had done in order to save her, the darkness slowly overtaking his wings and shrouding his head a sharp reminder of the innocent lives he took. He ignored them. He had made his choice, and if the galaxy had to die for Padme to live, then kriff the galaxy.

He flew toward the place the ship was attempting to land on. Some more gold feathers fell, and burned in the lava rivers of Mustafar, pure black ones growing in their stead.

The ramp lowered, and then, he saw Her. All thoughts were forgotten, and for a moment, he simply basked in Her presence, the gold nibbling at the black on his back. 

« Padme, I saw your ship »

He relished in Her Light as they embraced, enclosing them in a cocoon of feather, separating them from the outside world and all its complications. Trying to melt himself in her and her in him.

Padme was the one to break the illusion

« Oh, Anakin! »

He redressed himself, slightly separating his wings so that the cocoon was broken, but keeping them protectively around him and Padme.

« It's all right, you're safe now. What are you doing out here ? »

« I was so worried about you. Obi-Wan told me terrible things. »

And how it was wrong to hear such anguish in Padme’s voice ! Hurting his Wife with his lies was but another failing of his Master. Gently caressing her with one of his still gold feather, he pressed : « What things ? »

« He said you have turned to the dark side . . . that you killed younglings. »

Anakin looked down, wings slightly retreating. That, he could not deny. But he had to do it, for her ! And Jedies were Traitors and Liars anyway. They only told the Truth when it was of use to them. This time was no exception. If only she could understand !

« Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me ! »

« He cares about us ! »

« Us ??! » Anakin retreated, his wings liberating Padme, and now darker than ever at his side.

« He knows… He wants to help you » 

Anakin holded back a snort. He doubted his Master wanted anything but his death after what he had done.

« Is Obi-Wan going to protect you? He can't… he can't help you. He's not strong enough. »

« Anakin, all I want is your love. »

Anakin shook his head. « Love won't save you, Padme. Only my new powers can do that. »

« At what cost? You are a good person. Don't do this ! ».

Anakin only vaguely heard Padme’s pleas. It was the only solution !

« I won't lose you the way I lost my mother! I've become more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of » He raised his wings to show her, black and gold shining in the Lava’s Light. « And I've done it for you. To protect you. »

But Padme just didn’t seem to _understand_. She continued to try to reach him, stop him -

« Come away with me. Help me raise our child. Leave everything else behind while we still can. »

\- And she was almost successful. Once again, he became hypnotised by her Light. Wondering who had caused such pain in his Love for her to be so desperate, so broken. He tried to console her, to englobe her in his golden wings like he always did when the War began to be too much for one of them.

Then he caught a flicker of black in the corner of his eyes, and reality crashed back on him. He must admit, even like that, he was _really_ tempted by her offer. To run away from the madness that had become his life. But she wasn’t safe yet, and things still had to be done.

« Don't you see, we don't have to run away anymore. », he tried to convince her. « I have brought peace to the Republic » And thanks to him, the War was now over. And Padme loved the Republic, didn’t she ? 

It dawned on him, then. Padme was a wonderful woman, and an amazing politician. Surely, no one could make a better galaxy than her ! Excited by the idea, he attempted to share it with his Love : « I am more powerful than the Chancellor. I can overthrow him, and together you and I can rule the galaxy ! Make things the way we want them to be. »

He was so proud of his idea ! His smile quickly faltered though, wings down, as he took in Padme’s expression. 

« I don't believe what I'm hearing . . . Obi-Wan was right. You've changed. » 

Obi-Wan again. Why must it _always_ be about _Obi-Wan_ !? He bristled at the thought of his (now former) Master.

« I don't want to hear anymore about Obi-Wan. The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me. » He was now looming over Padme, his entire body language howling aggressiveness.

« I don't know you anymore. Anakin, you're breaking my heart. » _How dared she !_ « You are going down a path I can't follow. »

HOW DARED SHE ! She was rejecting him, he couldn’t believe it ! After all he had done for her ! - More gold disappeared, the black rising. Plunged in his thoughts, he didn’t even notice it. - But no, she would never betray him, at least not on her own volition… Someone must have pushed her, manipulated her ! 

He growled « Because of Obi-Wan? « 

He didn’t listen to her answer, only vaguely hearing « I love you ». Already, another presence had taken all his attention : on the entrance of the ship stood his (former) Master, looking as broken as at Qui-Gon’s death, wings almost gray of grief. Did he think he was dead ?

Gold flew by the wind as anger overtook him. He had held him back his whole life, being the perfect Jedi when Jedi were corrupted hypocrites, spread his Lies to his Wife so that she was now against him.

Reminded of her existence, he howled at her « Liar! »

She looked at his (not) Master, and paling, most likely having been caught red handed in her Lie, she denied « No! »

But he wouldn’t make the mistake to trust her. Not again. « You're with him. You've betrayed me! You brought him here to kill me! »

« NO! Anakin. I swear ... I ... » But her words were lost to his ears. The darkness howled in his head, stopping any thoughts from forming, and a pool of gold was beginning to accumulate at his feets.

Overwhelmed by the _too much_ going on in his head, he followed the whispers of the force, choking the Traitor in front of him.

From far away, he heard his (not anymore) Master « Let her go, Anakin. » The voice became stronger, reaching through the darkness « Let. Her. Go ! »

He became aware once again, and Padme (the Traitor. His Love.) crumpled to the ground, unconscious but alive. He could still save her, then. He focused his attention on the remaining opponent.

« You turned her against me. », he stated.

« You have done that yourself. » Obi-Wan was looking at him like Anakin had wronged him in some way. But _Obi-Wan_ was the one who betrayed him, by _always_ choosing the Jedi ! And he would not stop Anakin.

« You will not take her from me ! »

He threw off his cloak, his now almost black wings raised menacingly, ready to attack. But his opponent didn’t seem as ready, the Negotiator choosing, as always, words before swords.

« Your anger and your lust for power have already done that »

Anakin bristled at his words, wanting nothing more than to be finished with it, so he could go back to Coruscant and ask Palpatine to teach him the way to save Padme’s life.

His _ex-_ Master continued speaking, « You have allowed this Dark Lord to twist your mind until now . . . until now you have become the very thing you swore to destroy. » Obi-Wan’s brown wings raised themself behind him, making him more imposing, and all at once Anakin was back to being a youngling, suffering another lecture of how to be a « proper Jedi ».

But soon enough the darkness called him back to reality, and he reminded himself that his wings were big too now. He had nothing to fear of from the older man.

« Don't lecture me, Obi-Wan. I see through the lies of the Jedi. I do not fear the dark side as you do. I have brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to my new Empire. » 

« Your new Empire? »

He couldn’t afford to let his old Master keep playing on his ground, twisting words and lies to confuse him.

« Don't make me kill you. » Anakin warned.

« Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic… to democracy ! »

Anakin mentally sneered. To democracy ? It wasn’t so much the case before. But of course, the Jedi were gone now, so Obi-Wan had to pick something else to devote himself to, as long as it wasn’t _Anakin_.

« If you're not with me, then you're my enemy. » He hissed.

« Only a Sith deals in absolutes. » Obi-Wan’s eyes traveled sadly to the poodle of gold he had left before Padme. He always praised Anakin golden wings, saying they looked like a sun shining hope to all who saw them. What did he think of them, Anakin wondered, now that they were black and filthy, radiating darkness and murder.

The sound of a lightsaber igniting brought him back to the present.  
« I will do what I must. » his old Master declared.

« You will try. » Anakin taunted. The adrenaline preceding each battle was now coursing freely in his veins. 

Igniting his own weapon, wings extended, he flapped them once, gaining speed, and attacked. Now was the moment the Apprentice surpassed the Master !

Their fight was a ballet on top of a Lava’s River. One attacking relentlessly the other, whose defence never faltered. Anakin relished in the battle, finally shutting out the confusing thoughts howling about what he had done, the price he had agreed to pay.

But Obi-Wan, as always, needed to talk

« I have failed you, Anakin… I have failed you. » He sure had, Anakin mentally snorted. But it was too late now, wasn’t it ? Anakin threw himself back into the battle, trying to quiet the unwanted thoughts.

Still, the thoughts caught back to him, and he couldn’t resist making his own call toward Obi-Wan : « I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over... »

His master didn’t seem so happy by his attempt at conversations, flowing backward to block another blow. « From the Sith ! Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil ! »

Anakin tried a feint, missed, and then answered « From the Jedi point of view. From my point of view, the Jedi are evil. »

« Well, then you are lost ! » Anakin was right, then. His (not anymore) Master had really given up, abandoned him. Well, all for the better, it would spare him from having any regrets.

« This is the end for you, My Master. » He seethed. « I wish it were otherwise. » _I wish you hadn’t given up on me_ he didn’t say.

He made a bold move, and Obi-Wan cut into his left wing, forcing him to land. But he had successfully injured Obi-Wan’s side, and by one of the aerial manœuvre only He could pull off, he managed to take the upper hand and force Obi-Wan to go down with him.

They landed on the edge of a Lava River. Freeing himself at the last moment, Obi-Wan managed to fly on the safety of a little sandy cliff.

He yelled at Anakin : « It's over, Anakin. I have the high ground. » 

« You underestimate my power! » he growled in answer. It was His time ! He wasn’t going to Lose ! He tested his injured wing, and prepared to jump (to Fly).

« Don't try it. », Obi-Wan said. He was looking down at him, disapprovingly. But when wasn’t he ?

Anakin made the jump, and next thing he knew, everything hurted. And began burning. He tried to pick himself up, move away from the Lava who suddenly was far too near him, but his limbs wouldn’t twitch. He looked in horror at his arm and legs posed on the ground far, _too_ far away from him, and definitely not connected to his body.

Panic making him redoubling efforts, he tried to grab the slippery soil to pull himself up. His wings flapped madly, useless to aid in his effort, painfully slapping against the ground at each slap, feeding black and gold to the Lava’s River. 

Was he not half-mad from pain and despair, he would have laughed at the fact that Obi-Wan was choosing _this_ moment to lecture him.

« You were the Chosen One! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them ! You were supposed to bring balance to the Force, not leave it in Darkness ! »

He saw the man who had been his Master pick up his lightsaber and walk away, leaving his fate to the unforgiving Fire.

The Man stopped, and looked back at Anakin. High above, wings clean and Light, with the judging eyes of a God.

Anakin - No, he wasn’t really Anakin anymore, was he ? Anakin’s Master had proclaimed him dead after all, if not in word, then in act.

\- Vader felt the World was really unfair at this moment. By this man's own admission, he was the Chosen One ! Wasn’t he supposed to be all powerful ? His cause was right, so wasn’t he supposed to win ? Save the ones he loved from the grip of Death, and live happily afterwards ?

He projected his hate at the World, at his Injustice, and at the man who was supposed to Help him but instead Struck him.

« I hate you ! », he howled defiantly at them.

« You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you. » the God answered.

Before he grasped the meaning of the words, his world caught Fire, and everything stopped to exist except for Pain. Some part of his brain helpfully provided that his wings, and everything else, had just caught fire ; his newly acquired black feathered easily blazing into oblivion.

His hazed mind tried to call help from the One always here for him, and silently, his lips mouthed _Help me_.

But instead, his eyesight rendered blurry by the heat, he watched as the form falled back, ran away from him, abandoned him. Ran toward the ship, towards Padme, Vader realized.

It wasn’t enough that his Master - no, Kenobi, left him to burn. He had to take Padme as well ! Vader felt his body burning, the Fire never stopping. Padme. It was all that mattered. His last conscious thought, as his body blazed and his wings turned to ashes was that if it saved his Love’s life, then… it had been worth it. All of it.

At last, the sound of the engine arose and darkness came to get his protégé. As Vader was taken away by his new Master, a lost golden feather flew through the wind. It landed on the crimson ground, and, after a short flaring, went gone.


End file.
